Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Queen Anne’s County Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) educates volunteers on disaster preparedness and basic disaster response skills. C.E.R.T. members are taught based on nationally recognized guidelines and the material is adapted to conform to the hazards that could be faced within Queen Anne’s County. C.E.R.T. training teaches basic response skills ranging from fire safety, light search and rescue, to disaster psychology and how people typically react when disasters strike. In a disaster when Emergency Services personnel could be delayed in response, C.E.R.T. members become the first to respond. Community members throughout Queen Anne’s County want to help and do the most good in a disaster situation. However, sometimes, due to lack of training, the helping has the potential to do more harm than good. Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) training resolves this problem by giving you the knowledge and tools to successfully respond when it is most needed. C.E.R.T. training is spread out over seven days and is taught for 2-3 hours each day, usually in the evening. Through the seven days, C.E.R.T. members are taught disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic medical operations, light search and rescue operations, disaster psychology, team organization, and given a disaster simulation to test the knowledge and skills taught during the training. Once the C.E.R.T. training has been completed, members are given a backpack with the basic tools necessary to respond in a disaster. Queen Anne’s County Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) members also have the opportunity to volunteer during numerous planned events throughout the year. Become part of Queen Anne’s County Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) today by clicking the CERT Logo above. If you do not see a class near your neighborhood available, please contact Joseph Cichocki at the information below to have the training brought to you.Joseph Cichocki(410) 758 -4500 ext. 1119jcichocki@qac.org

FEMA offers an introductory course for CERT. Click the link below to take the online introductory course.